Equipment Question

Hello All,
First time here on Chef Talk actually posting....I am FINALLY opening my cake shop and I'm over the moon excited about it. However, I'm equipment shopping and was hoping for some feedback on brands. I know BLODGETT is a no brainer (for gas convection oven) however there is a significant price difference b/t that other brands such as BAKERS PRIDE. Any thoughts? I know buying @ auction is an option as well but even so I would like to know if you have had any experience w/ brands other than BLODGETT. I've only worked w/ BLODGETT in the past but now that I'm shopping w/ my own money I am doing some price comparing.

Blogett is a workhorse but I have also used South Bend and Vulcan which were all good. Try and get one where ityhas a switch to turn fan off. If possible buy used as depreciation on equipment is unbelievable., worse then a car. Good luck

Chef EdBOver 50 years in food service business 35 as Ex Chef. Specializing in Volume upscale Catering both on and off premise .(former Exec. Chef in the largest on premise caterer in US with 17 Million Dollars per year annual volume). Well versed in all facets of Continental Cuisine...

Chef EdBOver 50 years in food service business 35 as Ex Chef. Specializing in Volume upscale Catering both on and off premise .(former Exec. Chef in the largest on premise caterer in US with 17 Million Dollars per year annual volume). Well versed in all facets of Continental Cuisine...

Thank you Ed! I am scared about used b/c I feel like anyone can clean up a piece of equipment and make it look perfect. I guess my fear is I'll save money upfront then wind up pouring money into it to fix it in a year. Then again, the price on the new equipment is CRAZY. I have heard of South Bend, I'm going to look into that as well. I appreciate the input.

BLOGETT is the best, If you buy a used one check and see if the fan motor has been replaced if so you are good to go. That is what costs the most to have replaced. Also HOBART is your best mixer.It may cost more but you will only have to buy it one time.

Blodgett has the best warranty on doors--which is the part that gets the most abuse on a convection oven.

When buying at Auctions.....caveat emporium and all that.
1) You can't test or try out the equipment
2) You have no warranty or return policy--which you usually get when you buy 2nd hand through a dealer.
3) There are good deals out there, but you have to kow what you want, how much you're willing to spend.

Most gas equipment in N.America is built to Cave-man standards--when you campare it to European gas equipment. For this reason, it is easy to repair and parts are easy to obtain. I didn't say it was cheap to repair, but easy. Usually buying 2nd hand or at an auction is a good risk when it comes to gas equipment. NEVER buy used refrigeration equipment unless someone in your family is a refrigeration expert.

Hobart mixers are built like a Sherman tank. Again, not very high-tech, but built to last and again, easy to repair and to obtain parts for.

Know your prices when you go to auctions ie: What's the price for a box of new 18 x 26 sheet pans vs the auction price, price for new Hotel pans and the like. Auctions are great places to pick up any non-mechanical items: Go nuts on sheet pans, bowls, sinks, shelving, racks, ingredient bins, furniture, etc. It's easy to see if the item is broken, or it isn't.

Good luck

...."This whole reality thing is really not what I expected it would be"......

From a strictly business stand point, I have always been a fan of buying used unless it is a piece of equipment that you ABSOLUTELY HAVE to have for some reason (space issues, coolness factor, etc...)

Its ironic to me that the three nicest, most productive and efficient restaurants I've done pastry in have had the worst ovens. I worked in a dessert restaurant whose only ovens had ovens with a 50° difference between cold spot and hot spot. And these were convection!

I guess my point is that even if you buy a total lemon at auction, and end up replacing it after a year, it still might make more sense than paying outrageous amounts for a new one. Plus, if you save that extra $1000, thats less overhead you have to worry about when money is the tightest.

I guess my point is that even if you buy a total lemon at auction, and end up replacing it after a year, it still might make more sense than paying outrageous amounts for a new one. Plus, if you save that extra $1000, thats less overhead you have to worry about when money is the tightest.

Ummmmm......

Got problems with that statement.

Say, fer instance, you buy a used Baker's Embarassment Conv. oven. After 6 mths things go well, and you've got business to keep you going.. Then the elements/burners/squirrel cage fan goes. You're out parts and labour for the the repairs, say $300.

But that's not all folks.....

You've got orders to fill.

And it'll take a day or two for the repairs to get done.

You might have the crappy gas oven in the garland range as a back-up, or you might have a friend who'll let you use his oven across town. "course, you'll have to truck everything over there, and then back again

Might.

Maybe.

It's not a hotel where you can go to another kitchen or station and use a back up oven.

DAMHIKT...............

Same goes for refrigeration.

One of the worst feelings in the world is to come into work at 4:30 and find a puddle forming under your fridge or freezer door, or to open the door and find a nice hot, humid breeze blowing in your face, . Or come in and find the gravity coil in the cake display case has loosened and succombed to gravity, and has smashed not only all the pastries and cakes in the case, but the glass shelves and lighting as well. Mess alone is two hours to clean up.

DAMHIKT.....

(don't ask me how I know this....)

You've lost raw ingredients, sure. You've lost time in the form of semi-finished goods (creams, doughs, sponges, etc). You've lost money in the form of goods that were to be sold or delivered that day. Now you have to get in more product and use more time (and spend more money including fridge repairs) to get back where you should have been at 4:30 that morning.

My humble opinion after 25 years in the biz?

Buy all new mechanical equipment. Yes it costs, but it won't bite you in the butt and cost you even more. The warranty will allow you to sleep fairly well for a year or two.

Buy used small wares: Either it's broke or has a hole which you can see right away, or it doesn't.

...."This whole reality thing is really not what I expected it would be"......

Hello, you may want to looking into the Middelby Marshall company. They own just about every oven company known to mankind. A quick google will give you the website. Dont look away from the imports, great service and warranties,for a lot less. I find the old standby's are not easy to get wiring diagrams, part manuals and such.The resource centers on the websites do not provide this level of information. Look at HVAC websites many questions on them about kitchen equipment. For the auction piece I.E. Ebay,search the equipment manufacture website for a service tech near the location of the equipment. It's about $150.00 for a test, well worth it on hard to find capital dollars. If you are going with 3 phase make sure you have it. Convertors are about 500.00 and over engineer the horse power for the 3rd winding motor.